new from norfolk.

[aa will]

a long time ago (42years) i was recovering from a bad racing accident , at our family bike shop in edmonton n,london, i guy i new quite well came in and said cheer up will i have a spare greeves you can have cheap, i replied cheers don i come over to higham hill and collect it, i was now the proud owner of a greeves trials reg no N00--3 , a few weeks later i entered my first sidecar trial the sidcup sixty near swanley in kent. 42 years later after what i think has been a successful career from novice to championship wins i am now thinking of retiring, so i have just got o 1959 scottish to build another outfit to finish my riding on. the bike has been stood in a barn since 1982 but seems complete. i have already entered the beamish trial and will hope to find some local trials in norfolk just have to knock up a s/car and fit it then a quick rebuild of the bike then i can relive my younger days,i probably regret throwing the villiers motor out but it went a lot better with a bsa 441 victor engine and even more selling it cheaply to help finance a bultaco,i wish i had it now .i have a few pictures of the original outfit and will take some of the new one if you think it would be of interest,and a warning to any members who think they may know will hawkes i will be looking for a load of parts at my sort of price cheers will

[Colin Sparrow]

Hello Will and welcome to the GRA Forum.

Sounds like an interesting story you have to tell. What was the name of the bike shop? I used to go to a Triumph shop down that way.

What bikes did (do) you race, modern or classic?

If you need help finding the bits to recommission your latest Greeves you've come to the right place. Plenty of knowhow on here!

If you were to join the GRA you would be upgraded to full membership of the forum and be able to access more of it. Plus you could then post photos. Which of course we'd love to see.

[AndyB]

No sooner said...

I received your membership application this morning Will!

I expect Rob will upgrade you on the forum as soon as he sees this.

Thank you

AndyB
(Membership Secretary)

[Rob]

Will - you are upgraded and welcome to the GRA!

I hope membership and the forum will help you find the various bits you need.

There are still a few decent trials around. To take you back a few years, there is the Jack Thompson, organised by your old friends the Sidcup Club and held at Canada Heights.

I used to ride in the Sidcup Sixty in the early 70's on a Bultaco when it went all around the houses on the road. I seem to remember getting a bit lost one year and found myself heading for London!

If you like the Beamish you would like the Arbuthnot which is another long-distance green lane trial with only a few sections to spoil the fun!

However, there is the small matter of getting the bike built first ..........good luck!!

[Dick H]

Hello Will - Fed up with those big Pussies breaking down on you I take it! I did the same thing last year. After several years of lugging around big old rigids I 'cheated' and rode the Greeves. Nowhere near the sense of achievement but in it's own way just as enjoyable and it was pleasant to finish without aches and pains. It was also great to just zip up High House compared to the 'near death' experiences of the two previous occasions! I'm sure you'll enjoy riding a lightweight outfit; the sad thing about riding a chair in the Beamish is that the best section for outfits - Studdon Hairpins - is inaccessible because of a very narrow bridge.
As Rob says, the Arbuthnot is a similarly enjoyable day and on the strength of the little Grubber going so well for me in the Beamish I'll probably give it a run out in this year's Arbuthnot. Again I'll feel like cheating after having previously ridden rigid four strokes, but at our age discretion has to be the better part of valour! The only problem with the Arbuthnot is it's not as well marshalled as the Beamish and mad idiots on enduros and illegal scramblers travelling in the 'wrong' direction are a serious danger. Mind you, if we don't all get writing to our MPs very soon regarding the Rights of Way elements of the Deregulation Bill 2014 then all these events will become a thing of the past.

[aa will]

new from norfolk

hi its great to get some feedback the family bike shop was called edmonton motor spares in bounces road , and we built many tritons and specials in those days, i started racing on a maserati 50 a vincent picador outfit ,and later a bsa outfit, plus a r/enfield 700 production racer ,used mainly for the handicap as it would still be running at the end of a meeting,so i suppose they are classics now like a lot of people if we knew now what would happen with old bikes!!!!!!, have found the new greeves is a 1958 ta with a 197 motor,it is seized solid after sitting in a damp barn for years,crank is free but in all my years never had one this bad,press tool bolted to the top of the barrell big hot blow torch with fins glowing red hot still solid ,and bending a 1inch bar of the tool ,(where is my angle grinder)i will get there in the end ,at least the engine is lighter than my usual panther, i will be looking for parts to build a 250 motor that will pull a trials chair and a passenger,(vouleneer wanted) if i get this finished in time the british bike bonanza is on my list so any offers of help would be wonderful, will.

[aa will]

new from norfolk

a bit extra dick i have ridden and cleaned studdon hairpins with a chair you find the top of the section and ride down ,turn round at the begins card and attack in 2nd gear, a great section, will